The Washington critic., 1887-02-05
WASHINGTON, FrrnuAny ., 1887.
THE PENSION BUSINESS.

TO the first Federal Congress at It's
meeting in New York in 1900 consti.
tuted but small itGm-only $3,6 for
invalid pensions and $06,0i9 for pen.
sions granted at various times by the
previous Continental Congress. The
last revolutionary pensioner is long
since dead aud that account closed.
Neither the wiscst nor the widest of
the early American prophets would
have venturrd even 10 suggest that the
Government might some day be called
upon to open another account requir.
ing au annual expenditure Of 80, l,O0O,-
600.
The circumstances aud conditions
that have n're.siiatld This outlay Ind
never entered into ,h, minds of our
foreiatLers 10 conceive. They were
but family forccaslcd l~cnDy five years
ago.
What is TO br the end Of il?
There was printed In the New York
E'reniDg Past some days ago "A statisti
cal table, showing That at the some
what reckless rate of speed our legisla
tion is taking in this direction ths
present pension roll of 800, is3 will be
increased to SGj, 900, II number gretter
than the combined Armies of En- gland
and France, and nearly doubls the
army of Germany; and furthermore,
that the annual pension bill, which is
now $50. 100000, will be swollen TO at
least S141 600, coo "a heavier burden of
taxation than even the French or the
Germans have to endure, to maintain
their vast military establishments
No note is taken here of the new
Arrears act, now before the Senate, by
which the bars are let down for grab
of S246, 900 more, of which Mr..
John Sherman said last winter, There
is no equity in Il"
We are aware that this is delicate
question for the politicians to handle,
and that retrcnchment in the matter of
pensions is well nigh impossible so
long as members Of Congress continue
10 be governed by their interest in the
soldier vote rather than by the true
principles of craftsmanship.
We are also aware that nothing can
be more unjust than to deny pension
TO veteran who is rightfully entitled
TO 1t; and that because the Government
In numerous instances has given con-
senting ear to fraudulent and unde.
serving claimants, isno reason why the
honest and meritoriou9 should 20 un-
heard; but Congress is certainly not
called upon, neither docs justice de-
mand, that every man who served in
the army and all his dependent rcla.
iives should he pensioncd to the end of
their natural lives.
The line has got to be drawn sone-
where or the demagogues will shortly
have the entire Treasury surplus con-
verted into campaign fund.
In the natural order of events the
eliminating point should have been
reached by this time. So far from this
being the case 1t is proposed TO double
the present pension roll and the cul.
minating point though. nearly twenty
two years have elapsed since the close
OF the war, is still far out of sight.
1t is well for a nation to be grateful,
but not well that its gratitude should
run away with its discretion.
Is there no point at which to call a
halt; no limitation TO the schemes for
absorbing the public revenues in the
name of patriotism and in the interest
of the politicians Does any one ever
stop to think that according TO the
present programme the country will
have to pay out in pensions during the
next ten years a sum much greater than
The national debt now Is Does any
sane man low believe that the country
really or fairly owes so much as fifteen
hundred millions of dollars on this &c.
count? And yet, other hundreds OF
millions to follow
Let Congress then move with justice
and humanity in this matter but with
CircumspectiOn also. Let some of our
resources be husbanded for the con.
tingencies of the next war; or even so
small an affair as a three months
skirmish with Canada might bankrupt
the Treasury with It's supplemental eX-
penses.
UNDER the influence of "paulcs
abroad and strikes al home" which
have tested the strength Of all markets
duning the past week, an "unrNpect ID
steadincss" is reported by Damn 4
Co. s Review OF Trade, The money
market is little higher rs to rate than
week ago. but well supplied, The
drygoods trade, though affected by un
certainty as TO transportation, is i'm
proving in co,tons, but the hesitation
'in woulens increases Concerning
grain and the strikes The circular say 5
Probably grain would have risen more, ht,
moi the great strikers cxerted u restraining
influence, TrapspoItgrs are moving frei-h
more freely than u week ago, but the dis
turbarce Is spreading thousands nj worker
in various branches Of industry having boel
ordered 20 strike, or thrown ont OF work b.
storpage Of supplies to manufacturing cstab
lishments. Already n l. clear q At losses t.
lalorers as q body, must he many times tn
sum which could be gained by the orisua
strikers ii successful,
THERE ere 0,107 licensed drinkin
places in the city of New ork and ye
there are at least thousand more place
where liquor Is sold surreptitiously, o
on The sly. "Thls Is a shocking ey
hihit," says the Graphie, "and the onl.
practicable and sensible reform Is to b,
found I'm a restriction of tho nutnber n